Holey Artisan attack: Court to deliver verdict today

The much-awaited verdict in the case over the Holey Artisan cafe attack that claimed the lives of 22 people, including 17 foreign nationals, will be delivered on Wednesday, reports news agency UNB.

Dhaka Anti-terrorism Special Tribunal judge Mohammad Mujibur Rahman is set to pronounce the judgment.

On 17 November, the tribunal set 27 November for delivering its verdict in the cafe attack case.

On 23 July 2018, police pressed charges against eight alleged militants in the case.

The tribunal framed charges against them on 26 November of the year.

On 3 December last year, the trial in the sensational case began formally with the deposition of witnesses.

All the eight accused are now in jail. They are -- Jahangir Alam alias Rajib Gandhi, Mahmudul Hasan Mizan, Sohel Mahfuz, Rashidul Islam alias Ryash, Boro Mizan and Hadisur Rahman Sagor, Mamunur Rashid Ripon and Shariful Islam Khaled.

Hasnat Karim, a North South University teacher who was one of the hostages and later detained, was acquitted of the charges since there was no evidence of his complicity with the attack, police said.

The terrorist attack that shattered the country and drew global attention, claimed lives of 22 people -- nine Italians, seven Japanese, one Indian, one Bangladeshi-born American and two Bangladeshis along with two police officers -- on 1 July 2016.

Twenty-one people were identified to be involved with the attack. Among them, 13 were killed in reported gunfights at different times.